You notice that you cannot read your book through a test tube of patient fluid held against the print, making it so blurred as to be unreadable. There is no precipitant in the bottom of the beaker, though it has been sitting for several days in a rack. What type of liquid is this?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the patient fluid blurs the print in the book indicates that it is not a true solution, as a solution would not scatter light in this way. There is also no precipitate in the bottom of the beaker, which would suggest a suspension. Colloids, on the other hand, are mixtures where one substance is evenly dispersed throughout another substance in small particles, and can scatter light to make it appear cloudy or opaque. Therefore, the patient fluid is most likely a colloid.

You Notice That You Cannot Read Your Book Through a Test